Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust are moving towards a formal NHS Group Model, culminating in the creation of a single Group Board from 1 April 2026.
The plan has a strategic rationale, robust governance framework, leadership model and phased timeline for the transition. Crucially, it means both Trusts maintain their sovereignty and legal independence whilst benefitting from strengthened collaboration, consistency and shared leadership across the two organisations.
Serving overlapping populations and with similar operational, workforce and financial pressures, the plan ensures that deeper collaboration will help us go further and faster on improvement, transformation and reform, particularly in areas such as quality, equity, workforce development and use of resources.
Key drivers for the change include reducing differences in outcomes and patient experience, improving access to safe, high‑quality care, creating a larger, more flexible workforce and consistent leadership expectations. It will also bring benefits in strengthening both organisations’ role as anchor institutions and reducing duplication, in governance and assurance, all while preserving local identity through enabling shared strategic leadership.
Under the new structure, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust will operate under a single Group Board, established as a Joint Committee of both sovereign Trust Boards, supported by a suite of joint committees covering quality, finance & productivity, people and infrastructure. Whilst several committees have already begun transitioning to joint arrangements, each trust will maintain its own integration and audit committees.
Key changes include:
- A unified Group Board acting as a Joint Committee of both Trust Boards
- Standardised governance processes and reduced duplication
- Joint committees for Quality, People, Finance & Productivity, Infrastructure and more
- Clear definition between matters reserved to each sovereign Board and those exercised jointly at Group level
What stays the same:
- Each trust remains a separate statutory organisation
- The Dudley Group DGFT’s Council of Governors retains its legal duties
- Accountability to NHS England, CQC and local partners
- Local identity and site‑based leadership
The Group will be led by Sir David Nicholson as Group Chair, with deputy chairs for each organisation – Lesley Writtle (Sandwell) and Gary Crowe (Dudley). Following a structured selection process, 11 Non-executive Directors (NEDs) have been appointed to group roles, and will take up their post from 1 April 2026. Each will hold a full NED role in one Trust and an Associate NED role in the other. This approach aligns status and voting rights while supporting unified governance.
Group Executive Directors
Diane Wake – Group Chief Executive
Jonathan Odum – Group Chief Medical Officer
Mel Roberts – Group Chief Nurse
Rachel Barlow – Group Chief Development Officer
Adam Thomas – Group Chief Strategy & Digital Officer
Kat Rose – Interim Group Chief Partnership Officer
Laura Broster – Group Chief Communications Officer
James Fleet – Group Chief People Officer
Site Executive Teams
Each Trust retains its own site‑based executive leadership, ensuring strong local accountability.